Learning the Ropes
by Sam deLittle
Summary: After the first revival round, Nao Kanzaki has got a little more spunk in her. She returns to college and finds out that the skills she learned in the Liar Game could help her out in the real world too...


Hey guys! I just discovered _Liar Game_ a few weeks ago and I already am totally in love with it! So I'm going to write as many fanfics as I can to try to boost up the fandom! :) Thanks! This is a simple one-shot to get the ball rolling.

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Nao did her best to listen to the Professor as carefully as possible, but not only was the teacher's voice nearly inaudible due to a shaky stutter, another more pressing topic was clouding Nao's mind nearly constantly. The Liar Game.

"Just go home. Get some rest." Those had been Akiyama-san's specific instructions to her after the revival round. They had been brief, and after he had dropped her off at her apartment, he'd pretty much left, implying that he wouldn't see her again until the next round.

She was trying to stay strong and not bother Akiyama-san more than necessary. After all, in the last revival round, she'd found some newfound strength in tricking others and spinning the situation to her advantage. She was sure the third round would be even more difficult, but at the same time, she had never felt more confident in her own skills as a player. Sure, Akiyama-san had coached her pretty much the whole way through, but she had picked up a few tricks of her own. After all, she knew she'd never be able to forget Fukunaga-san's face when she deceived him during their card game. She could tell from Akiyama-san's trademark smirk in her direction.

She had put on a great performance.

Yes, she couldn't help but daydream about what kind of noble deceiving she would undertake in as part of the third round. After all, she'd already announced that her goal was a righteous one – to free everyone ensnared by the Liar Game.

Such a thing was possible. She was sure of it. It only made sense. The Liar Game was after all—

"Kanzaki should do it."

Nao blinked as she realized the girls on either side of her were talking about something involving her. She gasped a bit, realizing she had completely spaced out. "Eh? I-I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention!"

"Kanzaki, you wouldn't mind making the presentation, would you?" her classmate, a pretty brunette who could always be found sending e-mails on her phone, remarked casually. "I'm really busy this weekend. My boyfriend and I…our anniversary is this weekend and—"

"I'm really busy too," Nao's other classmate said to her. "I have three exams next week I really have to study for! Nao-chan, this would be such a huge help if you did this for us."

Nao looked at them both, afraid to say "no". Still – doing a whole presentation by herself? That seemed a little…much. Still, they were both in trouble. Maybe she should help—

Nao looked at her classmates and stopped herself before she could open her mouth. She glanced over at the studious one, books covering her desk almost haphazardly, as if they had just been thrown there. The other one was still e-mailing on her phone, glancing at Nao from time to time, waiting for a response.

Nao frowned.

No.

There was a trick here.

"Ehhh?" Nao asked, raising an eyebrow. "But Emiko-san, your planner says your next week is empty," Nao said, pointing to the other side of her studious classmate.

"Huh?!" her classmate glanced over and saw her planner open to a completely blank week. "Ummm…yeah! I-I just forgot to write them all down!"

Nao smiled. "Emiko-san, that's the wrong week."

Emiko's eyes widened and she looked down at the planner to realize that it had indeed been flipped open to another week far in the future. She gulped, realizing she had been caught in her lie.

"Well since you lied about your stupid tests," the e-mailing classmate laughed, "you and Kanzaki can do it."

Nao raised an eyebrow at the other girl. "Harada-san…weren't you just telling Misaki-san about how you went out with a new guy last week?"

"Huh?" Harada raised an eyebrow. "Umm…no, I don't think so…"

"Oh, I must be wrong then," Nao said apologetically. "But still…I'm sure I heard you two talking about something having to do with a new guy," Nao said. "Or was it someone else?" Nao smiled innocently. "It must have been someone else – I know, I'll just ask everyone and see who it was. " Nao stood up and Harada's eyes widened. "Excuse me everyone!" she called out. "But who was talking to Harada-san about her new—"

Suddenly, she was pulled down by Harada who was blushing bright red and had ceased texting on her phone. "I lied, okay?!" Nao feigned a look of hurt. "I just wanted to go clubbing this weekend. Sorry."

Nao sighed. "You _both_ lied to me? I can't believe you'd do that…"

"I'm sorry Nao-chan!" Emiko said apologetically.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too!"

"We'll do the project!"

"Yeah, really, you don't have to worry about it!"

"Are you sure?" Nao asked. "Well…I guess I can forgive you. I mean, you didn't mean anything by it."

"Right, right," Emiko nodded. "We're not really liars…we promise!"

Nao stood up from her seat. "Well, I guess I'll just go then, since we've got this all figured out. I'll e-mail you two my research, okay?"

"O-Okay," Harada nodded. "You're really nice Nao. We wouldn't want you to think we're taking advantage of you…"

"Oh, I know you're not," Nao smiled at them before turning her back to leave. "Or at least," she whispered to herself as she rounded the corner, "I won't let you anymore."


End file.
